Department for Transport

Diesel Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

baroness mcgregor-smith: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the new powers for cities to adopt charges to tackle vehicle pollution, what plans they have to give financial help to drivers of diesel cars.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In light of both updated information on real world emissions from diesel vehicles and the High Court judgement last year, we are developing a revised air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide. The consultation will address the measures needed to reduce nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

Large Goods Vehicles

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, as part of their decision to extend the trial of longer lorries on UK roads for a further five years, they will take specific account of the impact of those lorries on the non-strategic road network.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Many of the effects of longer semi-trailers (LSTs), such as the overall reduction in journeys compared to normal length semi-trailers, are assessed across the whole network. LSTs are mainly operating on trunking journeys, but need ready access to depots, supplier sites and larger retail sites, in many cases near, but not on, motorways or trunk roads. There is ongoing work being carried out about where the LSTs operate, including their use on urban roads. The vehicles have the same weight limits as normal length semi- trailers. They are no longer than some lorries drawing full trailers allowed in general circulation.

Railways: Compensation

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their plans to improve compensation for rail travellers include the establishment of a Rail Ombudsman, with powers similar to those of the Energy Ombudsman.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Under existing arrangements, if a rail passenger is not happy with a train operator’s response to a complaint they can contact either Transport Focus (TF) or London TravelWatch (LTW) who work to resolve the issue with the train operator on their behalf. We are considering how to strengthen these arrangements, taking account of arrangements in other sectors. This has included discussions led by the Rail Minister with TF, LTW, the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Delivery Group.

Southern

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have been officially informed by Southern Rail that they have withdrawn "turn up and go" access for disabled passengers from 33 stations; and if so, whether they intend to intervene to ensure that this service is restored.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have advised the Department for Transport that passengers do not have to book assistance before travelling with them; GTR only recommend this to ensure they have staff prepared with ramps or that alternative travel is in place if a station is not accessible. We take the issue of accessibility on our railways extremely seriously. It is vital that all passengers, including disabled passengers, are able to use public transport and we look to train operators to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate unbooked assistance.

West Coast Railway Line

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what professional qualifications were held by the suspended civil servants responsible for the drafting and evaluation of the 2012 West Coast Main Line rail franchise.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: To answer this question would entail the Department releasing information which may result in the identification of those staff members suspended in 2012. This would be in breach of Data Protection principles. It is therefore not possible to answer this question.

West Coast Railway Line

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who drafted the bidding documents for the 2012 West Coast Main Line rail franchise.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The suite of bidding documents was drafted by civil servants in the Department for Transport.

West Coast Railway Line

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether all bidders for the 2012 West Coast Main Line rail franchise were sent the identical bid documents at the same time.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: No record was kept of the dispatch of bid documents.

Volkswagen

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration is being given to bringing charges of corporate manslaughter against VW executives who authorised the sale of diesel vehicles in the UK which did not meet the regulatory standards.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government wants to see Volkswagen face the appropriate legal consequences for its actions. Whilst we expect that the vast majority of the wrongdoing took place in Germany and so it is appropriate that the German authorities lead the investigation, the offence of corporate manslaughter would require clear evidence of a link between the actions of VW and the death of specific individuals and no such clear evidence exists at present. A decision on whether to pursue corporate manslaughter charges would be for the Crown Prosecution Service (England and Wales), the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (Scotland) or the Director of Public Prosecutions (Northern Ireland) to determine.

Volkswagen

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an estimate of the number of people in the UK who may die as a result of diesel emissions from VW cars above the regulatory limit; and if not, whether they will do so.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are unable to estimate accurately the air quality impacts resulting from Volkwagen’s actions as we cannot quantify the additional emissions of the affected vehicles under all conditions of operation. However we have made a comparison of the old software to the new ‘fix’ software under test track conditions. The results from tests on two Skoda vehicles indicate 30-40% lower NOx emissions with the new ‘fix’ software.

Diesel Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will initiate a public inquiry into the information available to HM Government between 1997 and 2005 on the dangers of diesel engines.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There are no plans to initiate a public inquiry at this time. We have been open about the difference between real world and laboratory testing for diesel cars. Our modelling takes into account the gap between laboratory testing and real world emissions. The UK government is committed to taking action on emissions testing. We see real world testing as the ultimate solution and a vital step in tackling air pollution. The vote to introduce real driving emissions in 2017 is an important milestone but we will continue to press for a comprehensive approach to emissions testing to restore consumer confidence and deliver our wider air quality and climate objectives. Last year, the Government published the conclusions to its Vehicle Emissions Testing Programme, which provided a valuable insight into diesel car emissions on our roads. In addition, an assessment of the scale of the air quality problem and its sources within specific regions across the UK was set out in the Government’s 2015 national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide and accompanying zone plans. In light of both updated information on real world emissions from diesel vehicles and the High Court judgement last year, we are developing a revised air quality plan for consultation.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Welfare Assistance Schemes

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of local authorities that established a local welfare fund scheme following abolition of the Social Fund in August 2012 which have now ceased to operate those funds; and what data they collect in relation to the operation of such funds.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: No estimate has been made by Government regarding the number of local welfare fund schemes which have ceased to operate and no data is collected in relation to the operation of such funds. It is for local authorities to determine whether to continue to offer local welfare assistance from within their existing budgets, alongside a range of other services, if they consider it a priority in their area.

Hotels: Planning Permission

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have issued guidelines to those local authorities that are able to impose local occupancy conditions on grants of planning permission, relating to the application of local occupancy conditions in cases where private residences which previously had planning permission to operate as guest houses now wish to reapply for planning permission to become guest houses again.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The National Planning Policy Framework and guidance on use of planning conditions sets out clearly the circumstances and way in which the Government considers planning conditions should be used.Local authorities are best placed to decide whether to impose particular types of conditions, such as local occupancy conditions, taking into account local housing needs and other relevant considerations. Use of such conditions should be regularly reviewed in the light of changing circumstances.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Company Law

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the operation of the UK Corporate Governance Code.

lord prior of brampton: Since 2011, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published on its website an annual report on the implementation of the UK Corporate Governance Code. In addition, the Government recently published a Green Paper initiating a public consultation on how to upgrade the UK’s corporate governance framework, which included certain aspects of the Code. In February the FRC announced its plans for a fundamental review of the Code building on its globally recognised strengths while considering the appropriate balance between its principles and provisions and the growing demands on the corporate governance framework.

Coal

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the energy consumed in the UK is generated by coal.

lord prior of brampton: In 2016, 9.1 per cent of UK electricity generation was from coal(1) (30.7 TWh coal-fired generation of 338.6 TWh total generation). Source: Energy Trends table 5.1, March 2017, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electricity-section-5-energy-trends (1) Figures for 2016 are provisional. Final figures for 2016 will be published in the 2017 Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), on 27th July 2017. 



Energy Trends section 5: electricity
(PDF Document, 176.23 KB)




Fuel used in electricity generation and electricit
(Excel SpreadSheet, 621 KB)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia included discussions about (1) executions of dissidents and gays, (2) inferior treatment of women, and (3) human rights.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Prime Minister discussed human rights during her visit to Saudi Arabia (4-5 April). On the death penalty our position is clear. The British Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country. We do not hesitate to express our views and the Government of Saudi Arabia is well aware of our position.Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, because of the use of the death penalty, women's issues and restrictions on other freedoms.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Mobile Phones

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 21 March (HL5825), whether the information requested would be available from the Departments concerned under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; if not, why not; and if so, why it cannot be provided in answer to a Question for Written Answer.

lord young of cookham: Requests for information are processed in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. It will be a matter for individual departments as to whether they hold this information. The Cabinet Office does not hold records of the number of mobile phones allocated by other government departments.

Government Departments: Pay

lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what data they collect regarding salaries and fees paid by government departments and agencies to professional engineers and scientists; and what assessment they have made of the comparison between these salaries and fees and those paid by government departments and agencies to financial and legal professionals.

lord young of cookham: Data on government scientist and engineer salaries are currently held by departmental HR teams. The data on salaries have not been collated centrally, and no such assessment has been made. In October 2016, the GSE profession published its five year plan. This includes an action plan on Reward and Recognition that will include comparison between departmental practices which will be taken forward by a cross-government working group. They will be working closely with the Cabinet Office Civil Service Employment & Pay (CSEP) team, who will assist with the data collection involved and any benchmarking against industry and academia.

Government Departments: Pay

lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the difference in salaries and fees between different professions on the number of professional engineering and science students choosing to work for government departments and agencies; and whether they intend to revise their policy in the light of that impact.

lord young of cookham: The government do not currently collect this information and so has not made an assessment of this kind.

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to either repeal or amend the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015.

lord bates: There are no plans to repeal or amend the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015.

Overseas Aid

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional measures they will put in place to ensure that international development spending is properly targeted and delivered to those whose need is greatest.

lord bates: As set out in the Bilateral Development Review, DFID will reach the poorest and most excluded groups by improving disaggregated data, evidence and understanding of what works in different contexts. For example, excluded girls and women are often ‘invisible’ and there is need for better data that is disaggregated by sex, age, disability and geography. This approach compliments our robust systems which protect the Department for International Development’s aid budget throughout the project cycle and ensure that it is directed to those who need it.

Overseas Aid

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that contractors engaged by them to deliver international development programmes are providing value for money.

lord bates: DFID achieves value for money in its contracted work through effective procurement practices, robust contracts, active market engagement and its contract management processes, but we can do more.The Department is conducting a Supplier Review which will (amongst other things) look at ways to broaden DFID’s contractor base improving competition, and will also examine how to achieve greater cost transparency and scrutiny of costs to ensure further value for money in its programmes.

Overseas Aid

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that all funds provided to countries where international development programmes are being supported are being directed to those in need.

lord bates: The Bilateral Development Review, published on 1 December 2016, sets out how DFID will focus aid where it is needed most, in particular by continuing to support the world’s poorest countries, increasing our focus on fragile states and regions and intensifying our efforts to help countries transition from poverty. Once resources are allocated, robust systems are in place to protect aid budget throughout the project cycle and ensure that it is directed to those in need. Every project is subject to regular review to ensure that its objectives are being achieved. The Department has a comprehensive risk management framework which requires risk to be identified and managed at every stage of the project. Prior to the release of funding the Department undertakes rigorous due diligence on its delivery partners, with the findings re-tested annually. Once funds have been dispersed, regular internal and external audits check that aid has been delivered to the intended beneficiaries.

Lesotho: Education

lord german: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider admitting Lesotho to the Connecting Classrooms programme which is funded by the Department for International Development.

lord bates: We currently have no plans to extend the operating footprint of Connecting Classrooms to Lesotho during the current phase of the programme, which runs from June 2015 to June 2018. However, schools in Lesotho can still access online resources and support through the British Council’s Schools Online service. This includes guidance and teaching materials, online teacher forums and access to online professional development modules.

EU Aid

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what preliminary discussions they have held with the European Commission, and with other relevant EU bodies, on the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on (1) the European Development Fund, (2) the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection, and (3) Humanitarian Aid Operations and other aid agencies.

lord bates: While the UK remains an EU member state we will continue to fulfil all the obligations of our membership. This includes taking full part in, and influencing, the EU’s development policies and programmes. The question of the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on those policies and programmes will form a key part of the exit negotiations: the EU will remain an important development partner for the UK.

EU Aid

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what preliminary discussions they have held with British aid agencies and research centres on the impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on their work with the poorest developing countries.

lord bates: The Government is engaging with stakeholders from every sector of the economy on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and will continue to consult closely with stakeholders to review EU funding schemes.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Hotels: Internet

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to regulate the online hotel booking market, in particular in respect of the level of commission which may be charged.

lord ashton of hyde: Online travel agencies are an important component of the broader tourism sector. Whilst we will continue to monitor the online travel agency market, there are no plans to regulate the level of commission which is charged. The sector must already comply with relevant competition and consumer protection regulations.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Re

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are arrangements by which the Flood Re scheme may be disapplied to private residences which exceed a certain number of bedrooms.

lord gardiner of kimble: There are no arrangements for the Scheme to be disapplied to homes which exceed a certain number of bedrooms. There are no restrictions on the number of bedrooms a private residential property can have in relation to its eligibility for Flood Re. Insurers decide whether or not to cede a policy to Flood Re based on their assessment of a residential property’s flood risk, any commercial considerations relevant to the insurer and the eligibility criteria for the Scheme. It remains important to obtain a number of quotes to get the best deal.

Fly-tipping: Fines

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the increase in the number of fines for fly-tipping which have been issued since the introduction of on-the-spot penalty notices on 9 May 2016.

lord gardiner of kimble: Data on fly-tipping is reported to Defra by all local authorities in England. This data includes all Fixed Penalty Notices issued for fly-tipping offences. It is not currently possible to separate out information for on-the-spot penalty notices alone. We hope to publish the data for 2016/17 before the end of the year.

Home Office

Immigration: North Korea

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of North Korean nationals who have entered UK territories in the last five years, other than those accredited as diplomatic staff working for the DPRK Embassy in London.

baroness williams of trafford: North Korean nationals must have a visa to travel to the UK. Information on North Korean nationals who have entered the UK is published in the Home Office’s ‘Immigration Statistics, October - December 2016’, visa data tables volume 1, table v_05, available via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/list-of-tables#visasThese data shows the number of entry clearance visas issued to North Korean nationals since 2005.



Oct-Dec 2016 - Visa Data Tables vol 1 table v_05
(Excel SpreadSheet, 57.33 KB)

HM Treasury

Banks: Closures

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the closure of high street branches of the major UK banks, what assessment they have made of the continued availability of access to financial services.

baroness neville-rolfe: The Government is committed to improving access to financial services, across both traditional and digital channels. Six in ten UK adults aged 16 and over now use internet banking, while the British Bankers’ Association estimates that the use of mobile payments alone increased by 54% between 2014 and 2016. The Government recognises that online and mobile banking brings practical day to day benefits to many consumers. The Government also recognises the need to support local communities to adapt to changes in the banking landscape, including when bank branches close. In March 2015, the Government helped to broker an industry-wide agreement to work with customers and communities to minimise the impact of bank branch closures and put in place alternative banking services. The Government welcomed Professor Russel Griggs’ recent review of the Protocol and is pleased to see the industry commit to further improvements to protect those affected by closures. Alternative banking services are also available at the Post Office. As a result of a new agreement with UK banks, announced in January 2017, the Post Office estimates that 99% of personal and 75% of business customers will be able to carry out their day to day banking at more than 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit: Northern Ireland

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Baroness Goldie on 21 March (HL Deb, cols 248–252) concerning their commitment to fully involving Gibraltar to ensure that its priorities are properly taken into account as the UK prepares to leave the EU, whether they intend to make a similar commitment to the Northern Ireland Executive.

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Baroness Goldie on 21 March (HL Deb, cols 248–252) concerning their commitment to fully involving Gibraltar to ensure that its priorities are properly taken into account as the UK prepares to leave the EU, what plans they have to inform Parliament of the impact on Northern Ireland of any assurances given to the people of Gibraltar before and during negotiations with the EU.

lord bridges of headley: Ministers in the Department for Exiting the European Union are fully engaged on issues related to Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland keeps closely engaged on a range of issues of mutual interest and concern with Northern Ireland’s political parties and independents, including on the subject of the UK’s exit from the EU. This engagement includes parties that opted not to join the outgoing Executive.The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations (JMC(EN)) has met four times to understand and consider each administration’s priorities; to seek to agree a UK approach to, and objectives for, negotiations, and to consider proposals put forward by the devolved administrations. The Joint Ministerial Committee is also meeting more frequently in plenary format: the Prime Minister has chaired two meetings since the referendum. Representatives from the DUP and Sinn Fein both attended JMC(P) on Monday 30th January and have attended every JMC(EN). The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland continues to undertake discussions with all of the main political parties and independents in Northern Ireland.The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Prime Minister are fully committed to ensuring that the unique interests of Northern Ireland are protected and advanced.Regarding engagement with Parliament, we will keep the House informed throughout the entire process of the UK's exit from the European Union; and we have committed to keeping the UK Parliament at least as well informed as the European Parliament as negotiations progress.

Brexit

lord eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the similarities in land border issues to be taken into consideration in relation to (1) Spain and Gibraltar, and (2) Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, in the forthcoming negotiations with the EU.

lord bridges of headley: We have been engaging with the Devolved Administrations, including the Northern Ireland Executive, and Gibraltar to understand their priorities and interests, and will continue to involve them as we enter negotiations.We have established a Joint Ministerial Committee (European Union Negotiations) for the Devolved Administrations, and are engaging with Gibraltar through the new Joint Ministerial Committee (Gibraltar European Union Negotiations). The latter will allow us to take account of the particular interests that Gibraltar has, given that the EU Treaties apply to a large extent in Gibraltar, with some exceptions (for example, Gibraltar is not part of the Customs Union).Regarding the Common Travel Area between the United Kingdom and Ireland, there is a strong commitment between the United Kingdom government, the Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive to protect the current arrangement. We will work with the new Northern Ireland Executive, the Irish Government and the Crown Dependencies to deliver a practical solution that allows for the maintenance of the Common Travel Area, while protecting the integrity of the United Kingdom’s immigration system.We understand the importance of a well functioning Gibraltar-Spain border, and stand ready to work with the Government of Gibraltar and the Government of Spain to ensure the border continues to function well.

Overseas Trade: Republic of Ireland

lord lester of herne hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ensure that the principles of (1) non-discrimination, and (2) free movement of goods and services, apply to the exercise of powers relating to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, after the UK has left the EU, equivalent to those principles which are currently enshrined in EU law; and if so, how.

lord bridges of headley: We are committed to negotiating an Exit deal that works for the whole of the UK. We want to work with the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to find a practical solution that keeps the border as seamless and frictionless as possible, recognising the unique economic, social and political context of the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.We will work closely together with the Irish Government to ensure that, as the UK leaves the EU, we find shared solutions to the challenges and maximise the opportunities for both the UK and Ireland.

Brexit: Republic of Ireland

lord laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what authority the government of the Republic of Ireland is playing a role in the negotiations for the UK leaving the EU.

lord bridges of headley: The Republic of Ireland is a European Union Member State and its role in the European Council discussions on the response to the United Kingdom’s Article 50 notification stems from the fact that it is one of the other 27 EU Member States. In terms of our bilateral relationship, the Prime Minister has been clear that one of our key priorities for exit will be to maintain our strong relationship and historic ties with Ireland. We are determined that our record of collaboration, built on shared experience and values and supported by personal, political and economic ties, continues to develop and strengthen after we leave the EU.

Department of Health

Social Services: Finance

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the allocation of £2 billion of new money for adult social care to be released by 2019–20, what steps they will take to ensure that (1) local government, and (2) representatives of local government, are fully engaged in the preparation of the Green Paper on the funding of adult social care, so that that those responsible for social care locally are able to contribute to the creation of long-term solutions.

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the terms of reference for the Green Paper on the funding of adult social care; whether those terms of reference will include all adults who require social care; and when they expect to launch the consultation.

lord o'shaughnessy: Following the announcement of the General Election on 8 June, decisions on the future reform and funding of adult social care will be taken by the new Government.

Mesothelioma

lord wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 5 April (HL6371), whether anyone collects any data on the cost of mesothelioma to the NHS; and if so, who.

lord o'shaughnessy: While information is not held centrally, individual trusts may capture data relating to the cost of treating mesothelioma patients. However, this information could only be collected at disproportionate cost.

Mesothelioma

lord wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 5 April (HL6371), whether they have made any estimate of the cost of mesothelioma to the NHS; and if so, what.

lord o'shaughnessy: Neither the Department or its arm’s length bodies have made any formal assessment or estimate about the cost of mesothelioma to the National Health Service.